5 Back Exercises for Women That Will Get You Strong & Sculpted In No Time

Michele Borboa, MS is a freelance writer and editor specializing in health, fitness, food, lifestyle, and pets. Michele is a health and wellness expert, personal chef, cookbook author, and pet-lover based in Bozeman, Montana. She is also...

The best back workouts your gym routine's probably missing

4. Back extensions

A strong lower back will reduce your risk of injury to your vertebral discs. This exercise is also called prone cobra in yoga.1

Lie face-down on a mat or well-padded floor, arms straight by your sides, palms up, forehead facing the floor. The tops of your feet should be flat against the floor.2

Slowly lift your head and shoulders off the floor, lifting your arms, squeezing your shoulder blades together and hold for five seconds. Lower to start position and do one to two sets of 15 repetitions each.

Sloan says, "This is a very important exercise for overall back health, especially the lower back. Having a strong core including your lower back is a necessity for maintenance of health. These [extensions] will also give you that deep definition where your spine runs through."